Chest pain from pericardial inflammation in pericarditis is referred by:
High-Yield Explanation
Answer is B (Phrenic nerve) The phrenic nerve (C3, 4, 5) provides sensory innervation to the fibrous and parietal layers of the pericardium. When pain sensitive areas of pericardium are stimulated by disease, pericardial pain is perceived as pain in the neck and around the trapezius muscle the phrenic nerve (The skin above the clavicle (C3, 4, 5 dermatomes)) Note: The phrenic nerve does not innervate the hea but does give off somatosensory branches to the pericardium (pericardial branches) in the middle mediastinum on its way to the diaphragm Note: The phrenic nerve only innervates the pericardium and does not innervate the hea